Five festivals set for SteelStacks site

Farmers market will also be held weekly at the newly minted PNC Plaza.

This is an artist's rendering of the newly-named PNC Plaza at SteelStacks,… (DONNA FISHER, THE MORNING…)

January 06, 2011|By Nicole Radzievich, OF THE MORNING CALL

Five new festivals celebrating everything from Latin to blues are expected to draw tens of thousands of music lovers to the newly minted PNC Plaza when it opens this spring in the shadows of the old Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces.

Part of the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, the 155,000-square-foot gathering spot will also host a weekend arts and antiques market and a weekly farmers market. Old festival favorites Christkindlmarkt and Peeps Fest will move to the plaza from historic Bethlehem.

The plaza is also part of the space needed for Musikfest's main stage, replacing Sand Island's RiverPlace.

ArtsQuest President Jeff Parks unveiled the festival schedule Thursday at a news conference to recognize PNC Bank's support by naming the plaza after it.

"PNC Bank was one of the initial partners to support the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus," Parks said. "Their leadership and early funding played an important role in helping to move this project forward in its early stages."

The news conference is the first of at least three ArtsQuest announcements expected to come this month as the SteelStacks project gets closer to opening this spring. ArtsQuest is the nonprofit that runs Musikfest.

Also under construction at the SteelStacks campus are ArtsQuest's $26 million performing arts center and PBS39's $17 million broadcast center. Other projects include a visitors center, outdoor concert pavilion with lawn seating and other amenities.

The project is part of a $1 billion redevelopment of the old Steel plant between the Fahy and Minsi Trail bridges that is intended to focus on entertainment and culture.

The vision, which Bethlehem Steel originally had more than a decade ago as its South Side mills were closing, was stymied by the company's bankruptcy and the economy. It got a boost when Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem donated land for SteelStacks and pumped enough tax money into the public coffers to finance other improvements on the SteelStacks site.

Mayor John Callahan called it "nothing short of miraculous" that SteelStacks was able to soldier through the bad economy and is on pace to open this year.

"Keep in mind this is happening despite tough economic times," he said.

The festivals planned this year include a Latin Festival from June 11-19, RiverJazz Festival from June 22-26, SteelJam Festival from Sept. 2-5, Blast Furnace Blues Festival from Sept. 16-18 and Oktoberfest from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 and Oct. 6-9.

The farmers market, which will run 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays from May 10 through Nov. 8, will have about 30 vendors. About 70 percent of them will sell local fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats and wine. The rest will be split between prepared foods, such as organic coffee and jams, and crafts such as handmade soap and yarn.

There will be special events there, including book signings and ethnic or historic cooking demonstrations.

Peter Danchak, regional president of PNC Bank, Northeast Pennsylvania, said his bank invested in the SteelStacks project because of the enthusiasm and vision of the community leaders.

With a branch opening nearby in south Bethlehem and past support of ArtsQuest programs, Danchak said the plaza will help to strengthen the community, which is the bank's mission. The bank also has naming rights to the PNC Field in Moosic, Lackawanna County, and PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Stacking the schedule

Sabor Latin Festival: June 17-19

RiverJazz Festival: June 22-26

SteelJam Festival Sept. 2-5

Blast Furnace Blues Festival: Sept. 16-18

Oktoberfest: Sept. 29 to Oct.2; Oct. 6-9

Christkindlmarkt: Nov. 17-20, 25-27; Dec. 1-4, 8-11, 15-18

Peeps Fest: (2011 dates to be announced)

SteelStacks Farmers Market: 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, May 10-Nov. 8

Arts and Antiques Market: noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, May 14 to Aug. 28